A most serious offence/charge is determined for each prisoner (see Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 79-82). At 30 June 2011, the most prevalent offence/charge for prisoners in all states and territories (with the exception of Victoria and South Australia) was acts intended to cause injury. The Northern Territory had the highest proportion of its prisoner population with this offence type, at 40%, more than double the national average of 19%.

For Victoria, the most prevalent offence/charge was sexual assault (15%), followed by acts intended to cause injury (14%). In South Australia, offences against justice was the most prevalent offence/charge (15%).

Sexual assault accounted for the second highest proportion of prisoners for Queensland (14%), South Australia (14%), Northern Territory (14%), and the Australian Capital Territory (10%), as well as nationally (13%). The proportion of prisoners with a most serious offence/charge of illicit drugs was well below the national average of 11% in Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory (all 5%), and above the national average in New South Wales (15%). (Table 3.2)

Proportion of prisoners, selected most serious offence/charge by state and territory